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Israel detains former hunger striker Adnan

The Israeli occupation authorities have detained the former hunger striker Khader Adnan who belongs to the Islamic Jihad movement. He was picked up at a military roadblock near the West Bank town of Silwad.

Eyewitnesses told Quds Press that occupation security forces set up two checkpoints at the entrances to Silwad. Israeli soldiers started to search passers-by and examine the identity documents of people in vehicles. Adnan was arrested when the car in which he was travelling was stopped and searched. Once he had been taken away, the Israelis rushed to dismantle the roadblocks.

Adnan was released by the Israelis in July last year after 11 months in prison during which he went on an open hunger strike for 55 days in protest at the policy of administrative detention. This allows the Israelis to hold prisoners, of which Adnan was one, with neither charge nor trial for an indefinite period. The former hunger striker was visiting Silwad to give his condolences to the families of three Palestinians killed during the Jerusalem Intifada.

According to Adnan’s father, his family has no information about where his son is being held or why he is in detention. He called on human rights organisations for help in checking on Adnan and his health because they are unable to reach him directly.

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